HISTORY OF CEJ

The CEJ was created in fall 2006 with initial funding from a Marie V. Gendron grant. The Center formally began its educational component with an Earth jurisprudence seminar offered at the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law at Barry University in Orlando in spring 2007. Today, the CEJ offers courses including “Principles of Earth Jurisprudence” and “Business Law and Earth Jurisprudence” at both Barry and St. Thomas law schools. Courses are also available for audit by practicing lawyers. By employing a variety of teaching methods and resources, they encourage students to think creatively about the responsibilities of humans toward all the components of the natural world and of possible legal approaches to global ecological challenges. Since its creation, the CEJ has collaborated with a variety of partner organizations to host a conference introducing Earth jurisprudence (2006), an international workshop about water law (2007), a symposium titled “Framing an Earth Jurisprudence for a Planet in Peril” (February 2008), a conference about “Global Warming: What Can Be Done” (October 2008). In February 2009, the CEJ is organizing the “Precautionary Principle Academy: Walking the Green Line.”